From the starting name, the final name is formed as follows: 
	 
 
	  
		- The compiler removes any extensions from the starting name 
		
 
 
		- It constructs a 
		  universal base name by stripping out directory information that fits any of the formats used by the operating systems that run the compiler 
		
 
 
		- It reduces the base name to eight characters and converts it to lower case 
		
 
 
		- It appends the letters 
		  .xfd to the base name 
		
 
 
	 
 
	 Examples of XFD names 
	 
 
	  
	 
 
		   
		   
		   
			  
				| COBOL code 
				 | 
 
				File name 
				 | 
 
			 
 
		  
 
		   
			  
				 
				  ASSIGN TO "usr/ar/customer.dat" 
 
				 | 
 
				 
				  customer.xfd 
				 | 
 
			 
 
			  
				 
				  SELECT TESTFILE, ASSIGN TO DISK 
				 | 
 
				 
				  testfile.xfd 
				 | 
 
			 
 
			  
				 
				  ASSIGN TO FILENAME 
 
				 | 
 
				(you specify) 
				 |